Broken bones & burns MIKE'S READY TO SLOW DOWN

Next on the menu is a change of pace for the battered and bruised TV chef

- Rebekah Hebenton

Kiwi chef Michael Van de Elzen has packed a lot into his 50 years. He's worked at some of the best restaurants in the world, as well as opening a few of his own establishments, hosting cooking shows, writing books and even starting a cooking school.

But as he enters his sixth decade, he's ready for a change of pace.

"Turning 50 is a massive milestone, but I don't feel 50," tells Mike, chatting to the Weekly from his home in West Auckland's Muriwai. "I'm looking forward to slowing down. I have worked my butt off since I was 15 and I can count on one hand the number of times I've stopped. So, moving forward, I want to simplify life a bit - stop taking on new things all the time and start saying no."

While some people fret about getting older, Mike says his only concern for most of his life has been how his body would hold up after a lifetime of injuries from pursuing his love of extreme sports.

As a motocross and mountain-biking fanatic, he has suffered at least 30 broken bones. And in 2019, he spent two weeks in hospital after a serious motocross accident left him with torn ligaments in both knees and a broken ankle.